Thousands of farmers protested in Brussels against the EU-Mercosur agreement

Thousands of farmers from all over the European Union arrived in Brussels on December 18 to support protests against the EU trade agreement with the Mercosur countries (an economic bloc that includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) during the EU Council summit.

It is expected that about 8 thousand farmers will take part in the actions. More than 500 tractors will drive through the historic streets of Brussels. Local authorities are warning of street closures and prolonged disruptions to public transport in the historic center of the Belgian capital.

Representatives of about 40 European agricultural organizations are participating in the protests. They express their dissatisfaction with a number of European policy issues.

The most urgent of these is the upcoming ratification of the EU—Mercosur treaty, which farmers fear will lead to flooding of the European market with cheap agricultural products from countries with more flexible quality standards, the article says.

European farmers gathered in Brussels are also opposed to the reduction of public funding after 2027, provided for by the EU common agricultural policy. They are also not ready to incur additional costs from 2026 after the adoption by the European Commission of a tax on certain fertilizers related to policies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

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The EU and the Mercosur countries agreed on a trade deal on December 6, 2024, after 25 years of negotiations. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that the agreement would be signed, despite massive protests from European farmers who fear unfair competition.

Shortly before the final approval of the document, on December 2, the European Parliament proposed changes that had to be agreed not only by the EU Council, the member states, but also by the five South American countries, which increases the risks of disruption of the deal.

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